# Chapter XIII explained — Pride and Prejudice

> Chapter companion for Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

## What happens

Mr. Bennet reveals that his cousin, Mr. Collins, will be visiting Longbourn. Mr. Collins, the heir to the Bennet estate due to entailment, writes a pompous letter announcing his visit. He arrives and pays extravagant compliments to the family, particularly Mrs. Bennet, while discussing the entailment and his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

## Themes in this chapter

### Social Class and Status

Mr. Collins's obsequiousness toward Lady Catherine de Bourgh and his concern with the entailment highlight the importance of social hierarchy and property.

### Family and Duty

Mr. Collins's letter frames his visit as a duty to heal the family breach, while Mrs. Bennet's anxiety reflects her duty to secure her daughters' futures.

### Reputation and Appearance

Mr. Collins's formal manners and compliments are a performance of politeness, masking the harsh reality of the entailment.

## Character check-ins

### Mr. Bennet

Reveals Mr. Collins's letter and anticipates his visit with amusement.

### Mrs. Bennet

Initially distressed by the entailment, but softened by Mr. Collins's letter and compliments.

### Mr. Collins

The pompous and formal cousin who visits Longbourn, apologizing for the entailment and praising the family.

### Elizabeth Bennet

Finds Mr. Collins odd and pompous, noting his deference to Lady Catherine.

### Jane Bennet

Attempts to explain the entail to Mrs. Bennet and finds Mr. Collins's wish to make amends creditable.

### Lydia Bennet

Uninterested in Mr. Collins because he does not wear a scarlet coat.

## Key lines

> I am very sensible, madam, of the hardship to my fair cousins—and could say much on the subject, but that I am cautious of appearing forward and precipitate.

I understand the difficulty this entailment causes your daughters, but I do not wish to seem presumptuous by discussing it too much.

_Mr. Collins acknowledges the entailment's impact on the Bennet sisters while maintaining his formal demeanor._

> He must be an oddity, I think. I cannot make him out. There is something very pompous in his style.

He seems peculiar and hard to understand; his manner of writing is overly self-important.

_Elizabeth expresses her skepticism about Mr. Collins's character after reading his letter._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/pride_and_prejudice_se/chapters/xiii
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- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/pride_and_prejudice_se/chapters